As better and more immersive display devices are created for providing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) environments, it is desirable to be able to capture high quality imagery and video for these systems. In a stereo VR environment, a user sees separate views for each eye; also, the user may turn and move his or her head while viewing. As a result, it is desirable that the user receive high-resolution stereo imagery that is consistent and correct for any viewing position and orientation in the volume within which a user may move his or her head.
The most immersive virtual reality and augmented reality experiences have six degrees of freedom, parallax, and view-dependent lighting. Generating viewpoint video for the user directly from the captured video data can be computationally intensive, resulting in a viewing experience with lag that detracts from the immersive character of the experience.